Huge bacteria count linked to N.Macedonia water poisoning
More than 3,100 people have been treated for poisoning symptoms
A mass poisoning in North Macedonia that affected hundreds of people amid high summer temperatures has been linked to high levels of bacteria in drinking water, prosecutors said Tuesday.
More than 3,100 people have been treated for poisoning symptoms over the last week in the western town of Gostivar, where the epidemic was proclaimed at the weekend.
The director of the local water supply company and two employees were arrested Monday on suspicion of "polluting the water in Gostivar's pipeline", according to police.
On Tuesday, the public prosecutor's office said it had opened an investigation into three people suspected of committing "serious crimes against the environment and nature by ... pollution of drinking water".
The three are suspected of ordering the installation of pumps in a wastewater canal next to a chamber holding drinking water, in order to test water pressure, a prosecutor's office statement said.
The pumps operated for more than 20 days, until they were discovered on July 16, and during that period "water containing harmful substances" entered the main water supply pipeline, the statement said, a crime bringing a minimum sentence of four years in prison.
The Gostivar Basic court said it had decided to approve 30-day detention for the three suspects due to the "seriousness of the crime they are suspected for, as well as possibility to abscond and influence witnesses."
Water sample tests found levels of coliform bacteria, which lives in faeces, nearly 50 times above the allowed limit, the prosecutors said.
Director of the national food and veterinary agency Oliver Milanov said the agency had received test results from the public health centre on July 13 showing that the water was safe for use.
The first cases with poisoning symptoms were reported on July 14, according to the health authorities.
The national food and veterinary agency has banned the use of the water in the area since Friday.
A government delegation visited Gostivar on Tuesday with health minister Saso Klekovski saying the number of people infected was decreasing.
The government declared a 30-day state of crisis on Tuesday in Gostivar municipality to facilitate more efficient coordination of the authorities' response to a health crisis which comes amid temperatures rising above 35 Celsius.
Gostivar residents were advised to use bottled water and the government announced it would deliver 50,000 litres of water to the town daily.